Drug Enforcement Agency Drug Schedules for Paramedics
As Paramedics, it's important for us to know and understand controlled substances and how they are categorized and scheduled by the Federal Drug Administration (DEA).
Controlled drugs are rated in the order of their abuse risk and placed in Schedules by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The drugs with the highest abuse potential are placed in Schedule I, and those with the lowest abuse potential are in Schedule V.
These schedules are also commonly shown as C-I, C-II, C-III, C-IV, and C-V.
Schedule I drugs are considered by the government to have a high potential for abuse, no established medical use, and a lack of safety for use of the drug even under medical supervision.
Examples include Heroin, LSD, Cocaine, and Marijuana.
Schedule II drugs have a High abuse potential and severe dependence liability although they do have accepted medical use but with severe restrictions.
These class of drugs are available through signed prescription only and in limited quantities.
Examples include Opium, Ritalin, Morphine and Methadone.
Schedule III drugs have less abuse potential than Schedule I and II, and accepted medical use by prescription only.
Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
Examples include Codeine, short-acting barbiturates, amphetamines, Pentobarbital, as well as Anabolic Steroids.
Schedule IV drugs have a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedules III and accepted medical use by prescription.
Abuse of these drugs or other substances may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule III.
Examples include Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and Ambien.
At the lower end of the spectrum are Schedule V drugs, which are considered by the government to have a low potential for abuse, a currently accepted medical use in the United States.
Abuse of these drugs can lead to a mild physical dependence.
Prescriptions may not be necessary, but transactions must be recorded.
An example would be cough suppressants with small amounts of codeine such as Robitussin as well as other prescription drugs with small amounts of opiates.
Controlled drugs are rated in the order of their abuse risk and placed in Schedules by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The drugs with the highest abuse potential are placed in Schedule I, and those with the lowest abuse potential are in Schedule V.
These schedules are also commonly shown as C-I, C-II, C-III, C-IV, and C-V.
Schedule I drugs are considered by the government to have a high potential for abuse, no established medical use, and a lack of safety for use of the drug even under medical supervision.
Examples include Heroin, LSD, Cocaine, and Marijuana.
Schedule II drugs have a High abuse potential and severe dependence liability although they do have accepted medical use but with severe restrictions.
These class of drugs are available through signed prescription only and in limited quantities.
Examples include Opium, Ritalin, Morphine and Methadone.
Schedule III drugs have less abuse potential than Schedule I and II, and accepted medical use by prescription only.
Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
Examples include Codeine, short-acting barbiturates, amphetamines, Pentobarbital, as well as Anabolic Steroids.
Schedule IV drugs have a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedules III and accepted medical use by prescription.
Abuse of these drugs or other substances may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule III.
Examples include Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and Ambien.
At the lower end of the spectrum are Schedule V drugs, which are considered by the government to have a low potential for abuse, a currently accepted medical use in the United States.
Abuse of these drugs can lead to a mild physical dependence.
Prescriptions may not be necessary, but transactions must be recorded.
An example would be cough suppressants with small amounts of codeine such as Robitussin as well as other prescription drugs with small amounts of opiates.
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